preview

Julius Caesar : A Tragic Hero

Good Essays
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is the story of ancient Rome during the time that Caesar took over. Caesar returns to Rome, after defeating the former leader, Pompey. Cassius and other conspirators convince Brutus, a nobleman, to join in on their plot against Caesar. Brutus and the others gather around Caesar, on the ides of March, to stab him. They stabbed Caesar 23 times and eventually he dies. Brutus takes over Rome, but followers of Caesar, Antony and Octavius, oppose Brutus and they go to war. Although Brutus is the nobleman who took over Rome to end the tyranny of Caesar, Antony and his army defeat Brutus. Despite taking part in the killing of Caesar, Brutus is a good example of a tragic hero because he is a…show more content…
Brutus joins the plot against Caesar for the sake of Rome. He agrees to become a member of the conspiracy because he received fake letters begging him to open his eyes to Caesars wrongdoings. However, Brutus and the other conspirators killing Caesar cause a war to break out. Brutus and Cassius fight Antony and Octavius for leadership of Rome. Brutus kills himself during this time and he speaks of seeing Caesar's ghost right before his death. “The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me/ Two several times by night; at Sardis once,/ And this last night here in Philippi fields./ I know my hour is come”(5.5.17-20). The appearance of Caesar’s ghost explains that Brutus’ decision to join the conspiracy and kill Caesar lead to his own death, and also losing the war. These important events are as a result of Brutus working to take over Rome. A final characteristic of a tragic hero is making mistakes in judgement that lead to a downfall. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus does this a number of times. First, Brutus decides that it is not wise to kill both Antony and Caesar. He says, “For Antony is but a limb of Caesar./ Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius” (2.1.165-166). Brutus believed that Antony would be harmless without Caesar. In the end, Antony ends up rising up against Brutus and defeating his army. Secondly, Brutus made the decision to march to Philippi.
Get Access